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The BJP Monday released ‘sting videos’ to claim that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia had taken “commissions” worth “hundreds of crores” to benefit private players under the now scrapped excise policy.
At a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra played two videos, purportedly showing the father of accused number 13 in the CBI FIR in the alleged excise policy scam. Sisodia is one of the accused in the FIR. Patra said the man in the video is seen “explaining their modus operandi”.
अरविंद केजरीवाल और मनीष सिसोदिया को पैसा पहुंचाने वाले आप सभी लोगों से अपील है कि आप सब भी कुलविंदर मारवाह की तरह सामने आकर केजरीवाल के शराब घोटाले को उजागर करें और सच्चाई को देश के सामने रखें। pic.twitter.com/L3FTwqhbk4
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) September 5, 2022
Accused number 13, Sunny Marwah, is listed in the FIR as an ‘authorised signatory of Mahadev Liquors’. The FIR states Marwah was “in close contact with accused public servants”.
“Manish Sisodia has earned a lot of commission and money because of the (now scrapped excise) policy. We had asked them five questions – why was the older policy, and then the new one, withdrawn; why were suggestions of the (former excise commissioner) Ravi Dhawan committee not followed; why were blacklisted companies given contracts; why were manufacturers given retail contracts in contravention of the policy; and why was the commission (for private players) increased from 2% to 12%, because of which the exchequer faced losses,” Patra said.
The Delhi government did not immediately respond to the BJP claims.
“Now, the sting master has been stung. Kejriwal had said that if there is corruption, one should ‘sting’ them, record them and send it to them. A sting operation has been done.
This makes it clear that people who came to power on the promise of anti-corruption, have now become kattar corrupt,” Patra said.
He claimed the sting involved a person who handed over money to Sisodia. “In the video, Kulwinder Marwah (Sunny’s father) is explaining that 80% profit is ours – of contractors, of friends of Kejriwal and Sisodia. The exchequer is getting only 10%, he says. He says he was told that he can sell to whoever he wants, however he wants, as long as a fixed amount is given,” Patra said, suggesting that this ‘fixed amount’ was going to the AAP leaders.
Under the now scrapped Excise Policy 2021-22, the government had changed the way licence fee is charged. Under the new policy, a majority of the fee was paid upfront and only 1% was charged as VAT on the sale of alcohol. The government’s idea was to remove any incentive for corruption as a large chunk of the fee was paid upfront.
“He (Kulwinder) said we want to start shops in unauthorised colonies as rent is cheaper there. They (the government) took Rs 250 crore to Rs 500 crore for shops. Did this money go to the government exchequer? He (Kulwinder) said no. He said he paid around Rs 60 crore; some people paid up to Rs 150 crore. This means this money was going to the account of Manish Sisodia,” Patra alleged.
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